{"id":362516,"date":"2025-12-21T12:39:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T12:39:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/362516\/"},"modified":"2025-12-21T12:39:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T12:39:28","slug":"much-loved-australian-open-champion-stan-wawrinka-announces-2026-will-be-final-year-of-his-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/362516\/","title":{"rendered":"Much-loved Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka announces 2026 will be final year of his career"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stan Wawrinka will hope for an emotional farewell to the Australian Open<\/a> in January when the popular former champion begins what he\u2019s announced will be his final year in tennis.<\/p>\n

The 40-year-old Swiss star, who managed to win three grand slams including the 2014 Open at Melbourne Park amid an era dominated by the sport\u2019s \u2018big three\u2019, declared on Friday that he\u2019ll hang up his racquet at the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

Now down at 157 in the world rankings, Wawrinka will need a wildcard to enter the Australian Open and will surely be granted one as he begins the last lap of a glittering 24-year professional career which featured him occasionally gatecrashing the era of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

Stanislas Wawrinka – who was always \u2018Stan the man\u2019 to his army of followers ever since turning pro in 2002 – has enjoyed an amazing journey, rising from a long-time underdog into a grand-stage giant-killer.<\/p>\n

Almost unstoppable on his day, he caused a sensation at the Open when he outplayed an admittedly injury-afflicted Nadal 6\u20113 6\u20112 3\u20116 6\u20113 in the 2014 final.<\/p>\n

\"StanStan Wawrinka, the popular 2014 Australian Open champ, says 2026 will be his final year in tennis. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

While many wondered if he might turn out to be a one-Slam-wonder, the late bloomer went on to prove that was far from a fluke as he toppled the then world No.1 Djokovic twice on the biggest stages — in the 2015 French Open and 2016 \u200dUS Open finals.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery book needs an ending. It\u2019s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player. 2026 will be my last year on tour,\u201d Wawrinka wrote on Instagram on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still want to push my limits and finish this journey on the best \u200cnote possible. I still have dreams in this sport. I\u2019ve enjoyed every part of what tennis has given me, especially the emotions I feel playing in front of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s won 16 ATP titles and \u200dreached as high as No.3 in the world, while also striking Olympic doubles gold alongside Federer in 2008 and also delivering Switzerland\u2019s maiden Davis Cup title with his illustrious compatriot in 2014.<\/p>\n

Injuries and knee surgeries have sent him falling down the rankings and he hasn\u2019t reached the last-eight in any grand slam since he got to the 2020 Australian Open quarters and lost to Alexander Zverev in four sets.<\/p>\n

Wawrinka played his 19th Australian Open main draw earlier this year and was knocked out in the first round by Lorenzo Sonego, but in his heyday, made two semi-finals — losing to Djokovic and Federer — and two quarter-finals in Melbourne as well as his 2014 triumph.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to seeing you one more time, all \u200daround the world. One last push,\u201d concluded Wawrinka, who will surely get to Australian Open No.20 after already committing to play the Auckland Open in New Zealand to launch his final campaign.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Travis Head coy on staying at top of order long-term<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

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